All manner and variety of absorbent devices or appliances have been configured for the absorption of body fluids, such as menses, and are well known. Sanitary napkins are the most frequently used of these devices.
In the formation of such absorbent devices for the absorption of human exudate, the sanitary napkin commonly includes a liquid-permeable bodyfacing cover, an absorbent, and a garment-facing liquid-impermeable baffle. These absorbent devices, whether utilized as diapers, incontinence garments or sanitary napkins are subject to failure resulting in the movement of fluid across the face of the cover and/or through the absorbent core and leaking onto the wearer or the wearer's undergarment. In the area of sanitary napkins, it has been suggested that at least 20-25 percent of all sanitary napkins have side leakage. This incidence of leakage increases especially for those sanitary napkins having increased absorbency designed primarily for medium to heavy flow.
To overcome the problem of side leakage, sanitary napkins have been constructed having elasticized sides that urge the sides upward or cause the sanitary napkin to form a cup shape.
Today's sociological changes have enabled women to become more active in sports and other types of physical activity. These changes have been complimented by a change in attire and have given women the option of wearing close body fitting clothing. Most sanitary napkins have a caliper of greater than 6 millimeters (mm) and can present a bulge adjacent to the pudendum when worn inside tight fitting shorts or pants. The overall size and configuration of the sanitary napkin can also restrict leg movement or cause discomfort when a woman participates in physical or sporting events. Recent developments in sanitary napkins have focused on ultrathin products which have less absorbent mass and, generally, have a caliper of less than about 5 mm.
In developing a thin sanitary napkin having a caliper of less than about 5 mm it has been observed that such products have a tendency to twist and bunch when worn. This is generally due to their highly flexible nature. Such twisting and bunching is detrimental to the efficacy of the product because the sanitary napkin is unable to absorb fluid that contacts its bodyfacing surface. Until now, the flexible nature of these ultrathin products has generally prevented the edges from being elasticized to form a concave surface or cup shape.
Therefore, there remains a need for a sanitary napkin that will be comfortable to wear while decreasing the chance of side leakage associated with the use of sanitary napkins during the menstrual period.